


A Way With Trees

by MotleyMoose



Series: A Way With Trees [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Anxiety Attacks, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Language, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-09-01 12:50:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8625085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MotleyMoose/pseuds/MotleyMoose
Summary: Kevin has been living a pretty quiet life since parting ways with the Winchesters. But, as he finds out, you can't always hide from your past.





	1. Yellow

Almost four long, wonderful years had passed since Kevin had last seen anything of the paranormal variety. No hunters were forcing him to read dusty and obscure tomes bound in weird leather, there wasn't a bounty on his head that angels were trying to collect on, and demons weren't possessing the people around him.

And no one was dying because of him. _That's the best part_ , Kevin thought, not for the first time, as relief washed out the remnants of nightmares clinging to the edges of his consciousness. Stretching, he reached over and found the other side of the bed empty but still warm. The sound of the bathtub faucet sputtering to life shook him from his reverie and brought about an entirely different set of ideas.

_Life is good_ , he mused roguishly as he swung himself out of bed and headed for the shower.  
........  
After a brief but eventful romp in the shower, Kevin shut himself up in his study. The room was cramped, more of a largish broom closet with a window than an actual room, but he made do with a squat TV stand that served as his combination desk and bookshelf and a dented metal folding chair Aggie had found beside the dumpster at her work. A scuffed portable radio occupied the narrow windowsill, along with a fist-sized bust of Bach (missing most of its nose), a cracked rose-colored depression-era glass (with a miniature booming cactus planted in it), and a pocket-sized cuttlefish painting (a first anniversary gift from Aggie, who said, "Do you want to cuttle?" when he had unwrapped it). Various posters and metal signs hung on the wall, ranging from Jimi Hendrix to the movie A Fistful of Dollars to a vintage ad for Persil. It wasn't much but he liked it; it was cozy and it had a door that kept the cat out.

Sitting down at his improvised desk, Kevin started up his laptop while he shuffled his notes around. There was a light rap at the door. He reached over and cracked it open; Aggie poked her head in, dark fuchsia curls confined in a baby blue paisley fabric headband.

"I'm off, need anything from the store?" Her sable eyes darted from the blank page on the computer screen to Kevin's already-weary face. Her gray plaid pearl snap shirt was unbuttoned a third of the way down, showing off a glimpse of her mustard yellow Arlo Guthrie tank top, and Kevin's mind idly fell back to the morning's shower exploits.

"Umm, no. Nope, I think I'm good," he smiled crookedly at her and, not for the first time, wondered how he had gotten so lucky. Aggie returned his grin, leaning over and giving him a peck on the forehead. She smelled of fresh earth and lavender, and her close proximity made him want to fall into her warmth and never come up for air.

Kevin leaned his head into her chest, and she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, squeezing gently. "Alrighty. Hope you get some writing done today," she mumbled into his hair. "Oh, and watch out for Mox. I took her catnip pillow away, and she's out for blood." Aggie pulled away from him and headed out of the room.

"Great," Kevin shook his head slightly before closing the door behind her and turning back to the laptop.  
.............  
Slumped back in the folding chair with his hands in his hair, Kevin sighed in frustration at the words on the screen. Four hours and six cups of coffee had yielded very little in the way of writing; he had only banged out three and a half pages on his fourteen-page final thesis, and most of it was gibberish. "What am I even doing?" he muttered darkly as he glared wearily at the computer screen. Rubbing his bloodshot eyes with the palms of his hands, he stood and stretched, groaning with the effort of moving, before hobbling toward the kitchen for some lunch.  
..............  
Moxie was stretched out, belly up, in all her fat, fluffy glory upon the small cafe table, warming herself in a thin beam of sunshine that peeked through faded floral curtains. Her black and white fur lay at unnatural angles, making her appear much larger than she already was. Kevin gave her stomachs a quick jiggle as he passed, her paws automatically wrapping around his wrist as her back legs started rabbit kicking. He gave a yelp, yanking his hand away as she shot up and darted under the couch, only her bottlebrush tail poking out from underneath.

"You're such a scaredy-cat, Mox," he laughed as he opened the fridge and rummaged for leftovers.

"Anybody home?" Kevin heard a thunk and a string of curses as the end table by the door was overturned. Looking around the doorway towards the entrance, he saw Rachel, Aggie's best friend and long-time roommate, uprighting the spindly legged table and replacing the wooden catch-all bowl on its scuffed surface.

"Hey, Ray," he smirked, giving her a short wave.

"Hey yourself, handsome. Is my lady love around?" Rachel straightened the bowl and strode towards him.

Kevin ducked back into the fridge and pulled out day-old curry. "Nope, she got called in, said it was an emergency."

"What kind of emergency could possibly go on at a nursery?" Rachel sat down at the table, the ancient vinyl on the chair seat crackling in protest, and tossed her messenger bag on the spot Moxie had previously occupied.

"I don't know, a nasty swarm of aphids attacking the begonias, maybe? She said Harold sounded pretty upset on the phone." Harold was Aggie's boss and owner of Reinhard Nurseries and Landscaping. He was prone to exaggerations, often going into hysterics over the smallest of mishaps.

Rachel shifted slightly in the chair and reached for her bag. She dug around in it as Kevin began spooning curry into a chipped ceramic bowl. He set it in the microwave before clearing his throat and gesturing at the remaining food. Rachel looked over and gave a curt nod before resuming her search.

"Aha!" She held up her hand triumphantly, holding a unlabeled pill bottle. Tossing it to Kevin, she sat back and crossed her arms, a smug smile tugging at her ruby lips.

Kevin caught the bottle, gave it a shake, and looked at Rachel, stunned. "Did you-?"

The smile turned into a beaming grin. "Damn straight, bub. I happen to be an expert at intrigue." She got up and pulled steaming curry from the microwave, catching it a second before the timer went off. "I'm also pretty good at what I do, if I do say so myself." Eying the spoon held forgotten in Kevin's resting hand, she snatched it from him and dug into her food. Kevin stared slack jawed at the pill bottle in his other hand.

"God, Ray. I don't know how to thank you..." He twisted the cap and dumped out its contents in his palm, unable to look away from it.

Rachel swallowed her mouthful of curry before speaking. "You could start by doing it tonight. I've got an unopened bottle of bubbly in my room, and it <...In other news, the search for Allen and Marcia Kuehn has redouble its efforts in light of recent...

The back door opened, pulling Kevin out of the dark corner his mind had wondered into. He turned down the radio as Moxie shot up from her spot under the kitchen table and trotted out of the room to greet Aggie with a chorus of yowls and mrews. Kevin chuckled at the conversation between human and cat as he flipped eggs and prodded bacon. The racket faded as the pair entered the bedroom.

Turning the volume on the radio back up, he was relieved to find the news had ended and began belting out the chorus to the song on the radio while he tended to the stove.

__**Your skin  
Oh yeah, your skin and bones  
Turn into  
Something beautiful-**

"Hey, sexy. Whaddya cooking?" Aggie wrapped her arms around his midsection, hugging him from behind.

Placing a hand on her wrist, he spun around in her arms and kissed her hello. "Breakfast for supper," he replied, nuzzling her nose and swaying his hips to the beat of Coldplay.

"Mmm," she sighed, leaning into him. "You know, this song kinda creeps me out, it's like he's a serial taxidermist or something," she mumbled, lightly kissing him from his jawline to his collarbone.

Pulling back with a laugh, Kevin slid his hands into the back pockets of her jeans and licked the tip of her nose. Aggie shrieked and wriggled closer, pressing her body into his and wiping her nose on his cheek. Catching her mouth with his once more, he teased her bottom lip with his teeth, inching a hand under her shirts.

The bacon spat and sputtered, splattering Kevin with hot grease. He jerked away from Aggie and cursed, lowering the flames under the skillet. A teasing grin tugged at Aggie's swollen lips as she playfully smacked his butt and opened the dishwasher in search of plates.

Taking a deep and steadying breath as he drained turned off the stove and drained the bacon, Kevin began talking with feigned innocence. "So, I've been trying to remember how long we've been living together. It's been, what, two and a half, three years?"

Titling her head thoughtfully for a moment, Aggie hummed in agreement as she pulled biscuits from the oven. Kevin took this as an opening.

"I was thinking, you know, since we've been living together and everything, that maybe... maybe..." he fumbled with the pill bottle, the childproof cap resisting his attempts to open it. "Goddammit." The cap popped off and rolled underneath the table. He ignored it and shook the guitar string ring into his palm. Aggie was only half listening, swaying slightly to the rhythm of the music as she dug for clean silverware.

He reached out and touched her hip. "Hey, Ags-" ring pinched between thumb and forefinger, he extended his hand towards her, concentrating on keeping his voice from cracking. Aggie's face lit up in surprise, a weird mixture of joy and sorrow dancing across her features.

"Oh, Kev. I think there's something we need to-"

She was cut off as the lights began to flicker, gradually fading before blinking out completely. Moonlight shone through the thin curtains, bathing everything in an eerie blue light. From the other room, they heard Moxie growl and hiss in warning. The deafening crash of a window being shattered resounded through the little house, causing them to jump.

Kevin felt the color drain from his face as he grasped for Aggie's hand and backed into the counter.

_They can't have found me here._


	2. Dream On

They had been traveling for almost three hours when Kevin finally spoke; Aggie's eyes stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge him in the seat beside her. "So."

"So," she echoed, hands visibly tightening on the steering wheel as she glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Want to tell me what the hell happened back there?" He held Moxie in his lap, stroking her soft fur more for his benefit than hers; the cat had been asleep since they had left Omaha.

Aggie sighed, chewing on her bottom lip as rested her right hand on the gearshift, fingers nervously tracing the decorative stitching. "It's... not that simple."

"Not that simple?" Kevin felt rage welling up inside his chest, the urge to scream lumping up in his throat. "The houseplants fucking tore those demons apart! You better start talking or I'm getting out."

Defeated, Aggie slumped back into the seat as she exited the highway, pulling the car into a rest area. She killed the engine and scrubbed at her eyes with her palms before looking over at him. "I-I have this gift." She looked down at her hands, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her pearl snap shirt. "Ever since I was a teen, I've been able to communicate with plants." Her voice quaked as she explained, a tear slowly crawling down her cheek.

"Communicate with plants? How-" Kevin gaped at her, fury replaced by alarm as the realization hit him.

Aggie shook her head, magenta curls bouncing about her face. "It's just... those demons. They were there for me. If they'd had the chance, they'd have killed you." She looked back up at him. "I couldn't let that happen."

Kevin stared out the windshield, dumbfounded. He had been living with a freaking magical being and he never knew. It felt strange; even though she had been lying since the day they first met, he still loved her. He still wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. Did knowing that she could control nature change anything? Well, maybe a little bit; the memories were still too fresh in his mind, creeping vines and the sounds of limbs being rent from their sockets. He didn't know if he could still trust her. Yet she was entrusting him with her secret, holding on to the hope that he would stay.

That's what love was, right? Trusting one another enough to divulge your deepest, darkest secrets?

_Even if one of those secrets happens to be that you can weaponize vegetables_ , Kevin thought wryly.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, he turned back to her, giving her a small smile. "So, you're saying I've been in love with Poison Ivy this entire time?"

Relief flooded Aggie's features. She reached over and squeezed his hand. "We good?"

He returned the squeeze. "We good."

She beamed at him as she turned the engine over and steered the car back onto the highway.  
................  
Aggie's phone began buzzing as soon as they had crossed the state line.

"Answer that for me, will you?"

Kevin took one look at the caller ID before swiping the green Answer icon. "Hey, Aaron..."

"What the fuck is going on, Kevin?" Aaron's deep, rumbling baritone was harsh on Kevin's ear. He pulled the phone away from his head and gave Aggie a startled look.

She shrugged and gestured at the pitch black scenery, motioning for him to answer.

Swallowing, Kevin brought the phone back to his ear. "Umm, well-"

"They found her, didn't they?" He could feel Aaron seething on the other end. "They were trying to bring her in, huh? That why this place looks like a fucking scene from _The Evil Dead_?"

"Yeah, she - the plants took care of them. Demons." Kevin's mind flashed back to the arm being dragged across the floor, its journey leaving a red smear on the rug.

"Fuck." Aaron took a breath. "You guys okay?" There were other voices in the background, higher and less distinct.

"We're fine. Just - We're fine."

"Okay, keep us posted. We'll get shit cleaned up on this end." Kevin could now hear Rachel speaking to Aaron in hushed tones, her voice muffled.

"Right." Kevin pressed End and returned the phone to the cup holder. Aggie glanced at him expectantly. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Aaron said they'll take care of the mess at the house."

"Great." She shifted slightly in her seat.

Kevin was quiet for a moment. "Wait, they know-"

"Yep." Aggie cut him off.

"So this has hap-"

She glanced at him sharply. "This is nothing new. They got it."

He nodded in silent agreement. Her shoulders relaxed a little as she thumbed through the radio channels. Landing on a classic rock station, she smiled as Aerosmith poured out of the speakers. 

Kevin eyed her. "Really?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Yes, really. I happen to like this song."

Taking a breath, Aggie dove right in to the music, head swaying to the beat, nose crinkling at the high notes.

__**I know nobody knows  
Where it comes and where it goes  
I know it's everybody sin  
You got to lose to know how to win**

Rolling his eyes in mock embarrassment, Kevin laughed, "If I had known you enjoy Aerosmith, I'd have ended it long ago."

Aggie ignored him and kept on singing.  
...................  
In the wee hours of the morning, Aggie and Kevin stopped in Wichita to refill the gas tank and stretch their legs. Aggie had gone inside for road trip snacks while he stayed at the pump, hands stuffed into his jacket as he watched the numbers tick upwards. The sound of the approaching vehicle didn't catch his attention until it had pulled into the lot, easing up to the gas pump farthest from the station. The lump of panic in his gut lurched when he recognized the car.

There was only one person he knew who owned a muscle car in that prime of condition.

The gas pump thunked as it shut off, making Kevin jump. He quickly returned the nozzle to its cradle and closed the tank on the car, praying that he would go unnoticed. The sound of approaching bootsteps grew louder as he fumbled with the car keys, hands shaking too much to fit the key into the lock.

A shadow passed over him then stopped. "Kevin?"

Turning slowly, Kevin quickly composed himself. "Sam."

The youngest Winchester towered over him. "What - How are you?" He stared at Kevin in astonishment, a bemused grin tugging at his lips.

"Great. Just peachy." Kevin glared up at him, willing his past to go away.

"Oh, that's great. That's... really great." Sam stood there for a moment, hands in his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. "So, what have you been up to since we last saw you?"

Kevin rubbed his forehead with a hand. "Sam, now's not really the - "

"Hey, toots. Who's your friend?" Aggie strode over, plastic bags swinging from each hand.

Sam straightened up slightly, glancing at Kevin before smiling fully at Aggie. "Sam. Sam Winchester."

Shifting the grocery bags to one side, Aggie stuck out a hand. "Aggie Clouse. Kevin's told me a bit about you." She squinted up at him. "Not as tall as I expected, but just as shaggy." She plucked the keys from Kevin's hand and unlocked the car, throwing the bags in the back seat before slamming the door.

Eyes darting between the two, Sam cleared his throat. "Nice to meet you, Aggie." He dipped his head politely. "Can we have a word?" He jerked his head towards the Impala, glaring fiercely at Kevin.

"Give me a minute." He turned to Aggie, watching out of the corner of his eye as Sam nodded and retreated to the black muscle car. As soon as Sam was out of earshot, Kevin gripped Aggie's shoulders, desperation in his voice. "If something happens..."

"Nothing is going to happen." She kissed him gently, her hand caressing his stubbled cheek. "Not while I'm around."

Resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes and sighed. "Okay."

He pulled away from her, balling his hands back into his jacket pockets as he trudged towards the two figures leaning against the Impala.  
..............  
"What the fuck are you doing here, Kevin?" Dean's eyes blazed with fury as he pushed off of the Impala and stalked towards him. "We had a deal. You stay put, we can protect you."

Resentment and anger swelled in his chest, drowning out the panic simmering in his gut. "Stay put? I'm not a fucking dog, Dean." He glowered at the graying Winchester, every nerve electrified by rage.

Sam stepped in. "Listen, Kevin. You need to trust us-"

"Trust you? I've always trusted you, and I've always ended up screwed," he spat, raising a shaking hand to fist his hair. "You guys have no fucking right to tell me what to do, not after almost killing me." He glared pointedly at the taller brother.

"Alright, alright. We all just need to calm down." Dean said, hands held out in front of him in surrender. "Sorry for jumping you, Kev." He looked down at his boots before continuing. "Just - what are you doing here?"

Exhaling slowly eased some of the tension in Kevin's shoulders. He closed his eyes for a moment, reining in his temper. "Aggie, she... it's.... demons fucking found us."

The Winchesters glanced at one another, surprise clearly written on their faces. "Did you just say demons found you?" Dean cocked his head, his attention completely focused on Kevin. "That can't be right. We warded you with everything we know! Cas even did that rib branding thing so the wings wouldn't find you."

"Yeah, well. That didn't exactly work, did it?" Kevin felt his anger rekindling. He glanced back over his shoulder at Aggie leaning up against the car, her arms crossed, a look of fierce concentration in her posture. They needed to get back on the road before any other demon caught up.

Dean was rubbing the back of his neck, an idea half-formed on his lips when Sam spoke. "Listen, Kev, it looks like you guys need some help. I don't know why demons are showing up after all these years, but we can help you." He gave him a small smile. "All you need to do is trust us."

Shaking his head wearily, Kevin started backing away. "Thanks, but no." He turned to head back to the car.

"Wait, Kevin." Dean stepped forward. "Here." He handed over a card with numbers scribbled on it. "All of our numbers. If you get in a bind, let us know."

Pocketing the card, Kevin dipped his head slightly in acknowledgment at the brothers as he walked back towards Aggie, his mind full of questions. He knew that the car ride to Tulsa was going to be unpleasant. He just hoped he and Aggie would survive the trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used the song "Dream On" by Aerosmith for a prompt.


End file.
